Since this week’s episode was all about music, my streaming list for the week will just be a random gathering of movies I enjoy. From an absolute must-watch classic to an absolute must-watch with a group of friends, I’ve put together a nice little list for you. And if you just so happen want to add one (or more) of these gems to your collection, well just click on the poster art, head on over to Amazon, purchase the movie, and support the show!
Dead & Buried (1981, Gary Sherman)
I only came to know about Gary Sherman in the past year. Since then, he’s become one of my favorite directors. With a filmography of underseen/underrated movies (Raw Meat, Vice Squad, Poltergeist III, and Lisa), Gary Sherman is not someone to sleep on if you’re a genre fan. Dead & Buried is about a small seaside village full of weirdo residents and a sheriff (played wonderfully by James Farentino) who’s trying to solve several mysterious disappearance cases. A mix of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Re-Animator with a little The Wicker Man thrown in for good measure, Dead & Buried is a delicious treat for this time of year. Watch on Shudder.
The Dead Zone (1983, David Cronenberg)
I talked about this on last week’s episode, and it’s still sticking with me. That’s how great it is. Christopher Walken delivers one of my favorite performances of all time. Martin Sheen is eerily reminiscent of 45. Brooke Adams makes me go all goo-goo-ga-ga. I just cannot recommend this movie high enough. The Dead Zone is about a teacher (Walken) who gets into a horrific car accident, only to wake from a coma five years later. Upon re-entry into consciousness, our protagonist discovers he has a sort-of psychic ability where he can solve crimes, prevent death, and ultimately save the world just by touching someone. Watch on Hulu.
Jug Face (2013, Chad Crawford Kinkle)
I don’t know exactly what it is, but I’m drawn to stories about mountain people of Appalachia. Maybe I want to be a mountain person of Appalachia. Life does seem much simpler when all you have to worry about is who’s fetching the water this time, and who’s catching the squirrels for tonight’s dinner. This was one of those movies that kept coming up on my “suggested” watch list. I bit the bullet a couple years ago and was delightfully surprised. Jug Face follows a backwoods community who pray to an almighty god that resides in a giant pit. It sounds ridiculous (and it is), but it’s incredibly creepy, and it features Larry Fessenden, so what can go wrong? Watch for free with ads on Vudu.
Pieces (1982, Juan Piquer Simon)
Gather your friends around, get some adult beverages (or some Coconut La Croix), pop some popcorn, and turn on this (not really a) masterpiece. I mean, you could watch it by yourself if you want, but you definitely won’t get the full experience. Pieces belongs in the echelon of WTF movies. It’s no mindfuck. You’ll watch it, though, and think to yourself, “How in the hell did this get made?” And therein lies the beauty of Pieces. From the opening scene to the end credits, Pieces will leave you fully entertained. I’m not even going to tell you what it’s about. Just watch it for free on TubiTV.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968, Roman Polanski)
Think what you want about Roman Polanski as a person. As an artist, though, he’s a genius. And if you have never seen Rosemary’s Baby, I suggest you do so immediately. Here we have three all-time performances from Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, and Ruth Gordon, masterful cinematography by William Fraker, and arguably the greatest production design by Richard Sylbert. Even the opening title sequence is a work of art (so eloquently analyzed by my friend Alexandra West here). Rosemary’s Baby is a now-classic trope about a young wife who is seduced into bearing Satan’s baby. Just writing this paragraph has convinced me to add it to my #31DaysofHorror. Watch on Amazon Prime.
Spook du jour 